1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a display device, and more particularly, to a display device which has a thin thickness and an enhanced aesthetic appearance.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
Generally, since LCD devices are driven with a low operating voltage, the LCD devices have low power consumption and are used as portable devices. Accordingly, the LCD devices are widely applied to various fields such as notebook computers, monitors, spacecrafts, airplanes, etc.
The LCD devices have been enlarged in size due to the decrease in weight and volume. In the LCD devices, moreover, research and development are being continuously done on a response time and image quality, leading to the much advance of quality.
Recently, research and development are being done on the above-described technology and the design of products appealing to consumers. For example, in LCD devices, research and development are being continuously done on a design with enhanced aesthetic appearance that can induce consumers to buy by minimizing a thickness and appealing to consumers' aesthetic appearance.
However, due to structural characteristic, LCD devices of the related art that have been developed to date have limitations in minimizing a thickness and enhancing a aesthetic appearance. The limitations of the LCD devices of the related art will now be described in detail with reference to FIG. 1.
FIG. 1 is a schematic sectional view illustrating a related art LCD device.
As seen in FIG. 1, the related art LCD device includes a liquid crystal display panel 10, a panel driver 20, and a case 30.
The liquid crystal display panel 10 includes an upper substrate 12, a lower substrate 14, a liquid crystal layer 16, and a sealant 18.
A plurality of gate lines and data lines are intersected and formed to define a plurality of pixel areas, on the lower substrate 14. A thin film transistor is formed in a pixel area where a gate line and a data line intersect each other, and a pixel electrode connected to the thin film transistor is formed in the pixel area.
In order to apply signals to the respective gate lines and data lines that are formed on the lower substrate 14, one side periphery area of the lower substrate 14 needs be exposed externally, and thus, the upper substrate 12 is not disposed in the one side periphery area of the lower substrate 14.
The panel driver 20 is disposed in the externally-exposed one side periphery area of the lower substrate 14, and delivers signals to the respective gate lines and data lines.
The case 30 is provided to cover a peripheral region of the liquid crystal display panel 10. As described above, since the panel driver 20 is disposed in the one side periphery area of the lower substrate 14, it is required to prevent the external exposure of the panel driver 20, for which the case 30 is applied.
In this way, the case 30 is provided to cover the peripheral region of the liquid crystal display panel 10 for preventing the exposure of the panel driver 20, and disposed on the upper substrate 12 because of structural characteristic. Due to this reason, the LCD device has the following limitations.
First, since the case 30 is disposed on the upper substrate 12, the thickness of the LCD device increases in proportion thereto.
Second, since the case 30 protrudes further than the upper substrate 12, a step height is formed at the front surface of the LCD device, causing the decrease in aesthetic appearance.
Third, since the case 30 is required to prevent the exposure of the panel driver 20, the width of the case 30 increases, and thus, the Bezel width of the LCD device increases, causing the decrease in aesthetic appearance.